Ireland's most expensive property has had its asking price slashed from $100 million to $60 million in a desperate attempt to sell it.

The 600-acre Lyons Demesne estate in Kildare was owned by the late Tony Ryan, a Tipperary billionaire, who founded Guinness Peat Aviation and whose son Cathal founded Ryanair.

Ryan is said to have spent $140 million on restoration of the house and grounds before his death.

The house and grounds were put  on the market privately last year but failed to sell in the worsening economy.
Now, the house has been put on the open market for $60 million, with an advertisement calling it  it as "one of the great homes of Ireland " and "a rare and perfect example" of traditional Georgian architecture.

Christies is handling the sale and their CEO Neil Palmer described it as "one of the most extraordinary estates" he has seen.

Palmer said the restoration by Ryan was an incredible undertaking "An impressive team of more than 100 professionals worked with the Lyons Demesne's owners to complete a restoration of incredible scope and attention to detail, and the results speak for themselves."

The house -- originally built by Lord Cloncurry in 1785 has  19th-century Italian frescoes by artist Gaspare Gabrielli. a private cinema, gymnasium, wine cellar, a half-Olympic sized indoor swimming pool, seven bedrooms in the main house, as well as four additional bedrooms in a self-contained guest wing.
 Five lodges are also on the grounds.